It strikes me that the BBC has been a powerful advocate for devolution. I have come across this phenomena personally here in Northern Ireland – getting perplexed looks from BBC interviewers when I insist on the importance of shrinking all forms of big government and retaining full sovereignty at Westminster. But have you read this BBC report in which David Cameron is presented offering a mea culpa for the Conservatives daring to oppose Scottish devolution?
I think the BBC is being disingenuous with what Cameron actually said – he merely points out that Conservative opposition to the principle of devolving power was “wrong.” The broader issue is how such devolution works in practise and, of course, who pays for Salmond and his pals playing at being a government? There are other issues left untouched such as why Scottish politicians get to vote on issues affecting England whilst the converse does not hold? Devolution as it is currently constituted has de-stabilised the essential integrity of the Union yet the BBC presents it as if it were the most wonderful thing imaginable. How about the BBC running an item on the costs to the English taxpayer of the celtic finge having their devolution experiment or is it the case that he who pays the Piper must not call the tune? Just wondering….
You are talking of devolution and you are a prime example of not getting It! There are multiple levels of devolution currently in process, the Scottish and Welsh issues are far gone.
Cameron is a fool and a pseudo-conservative. He is turning the party into a version of New Labour circa 1997.
The BBC's been promoting devolution since at least 20 years ago, when it treated the Scottish Constitutional Convention (a farcical Lib-Lab love-in, elected by nobody, that completely failed to come up with a workable answer to the most important issue at hand, the West Lothian Question) with all the reverence of a Royal Commission. Even the Nats walked out of the bloody thing.
It then proceeded to accept without question the late Donald Dewar's opinion that a narrow referendum victory on a minority turnout – with at least one unexplained anomaly – represented the “settled will of the Scottish people”. (Gordon Brown should nick that one to use when his time's up: the last election result clearly represented the settled will of the British people, so we don't need another.)
And then there's Kirsty Wark's documentary, commissioned by the Parliament itself. And watched by no-one.
It's no surprise that Cameron has been made to feel that opposition to this massive jobs-for-the-boys scheme is somehow shameful. (And before anyone pipes up, ask yourself this: do you, personally, feel you have one iota more say in the running of your own life – bugger “the Scottish nation”; your life, because that's what really matters – by dint of paying 170-odd fat windbags six-figure salaries to sit on their arses in Edinburgh all day? Show me anyone who does, and I'll show you a damn liar. Or an MSP.)
It would be very hard indeed to present the BBC's attitude to devolution as fair, objective or impartial. It has certainly presented dissenting voices, there can be no doubt about that, but it's clear from the way they're treated that its own attitude – not unlike that towards the EU – to which, of course, “devolution” is inextricably linked – is that it's a patently Good Thing, and while those who oppose it are, regrettably, entitled to their opinion, they're obviously not very bright, and quite possibly dangerous.
"Devolution"? Does the BBC actually know what it means. A self governing independent England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland?
They (and most politicians in fact) miss out one important factor – the EU. How can any country have devolution when it is the EU who govern us, not Westminster.
What the BBC are shilling for is the break up of the United Kingdom with all countries being mere states of the glorious unelected EU , except for England which will be broken up into provinces of Brussels – and thereby destroying any anti-EU English Nationalism, which is now in ascendancy among the English peasants.
No DV your analysis is totally wrong and blinkered by your political views. Cameron mentions the problems but he is saying to the scottish people that if he gets to be PM he will respect devoloution, so get used to living in the celtic fringe.
Try to integrate, buy a kilt!
Gets your fact right.
"Alex Salmond and his pals" in the SNP group of MP's have NEVER voted on issues that do not impact on Scotland at Westmonster. As a matter of principle they abstain when it comes to England only votes. However the so-called unionist MP's from Scotland namely New Labour, Tories, and Lib Dems who DO as instructed by their party heirarchys to vote on every issue that is England only. So it is the unionists from Scotland you should have your beef with.
Marian – read Hansard and you will find that they have on a number of occasions.
This is one of those urban myths that scottish nationalist trot out ad nauseum.
And I am not going to tell the issue that they voted on, I recommend that you actually read Hansard – it might open your eyes.
Dave
sorry but you are playing the race card here.
The once reputable BBC is reduced to strongly biased political tool – a left wing gaggle of 'yes men' spouting the party line.
Gross misrepresentation of anything other than 'left wing' is now standard practice.
And after so many replies still no one has mentioned a critical thing. This is probably because the most of you have only watched the news, and are arguing your point of view with their point of view against the bbc using your own suspicions. It doesnt work…come on people, your clearly being sucked in by theBBC Bias you are supposed to be against.